From Student To Practitioner Advice

Having already emailed a number of professional illustrators based around the topic of the transition period from being a student to becoming a partitioner and what there advice was for me last time around, i only gained three replies from at least 10 emails sent. therefore i have devised a new email that specifically asks them to tell me of their experiences. Not in a threatening way of course, just more to the point. At the end of this email i have also included my website and tumblr address for them to become more interactive and in theory more likely to reply. here it is below:

Hello… My name is Nathan and I am a third year illustration student studying down at Plymouth College of Art in the United Kingdom. I am emailing you not only because I am a fan of your works, but also to find out how you went about getting where you are today. I am about to graduate from my course and go through that transition period from being a student to a practitioner. I gather you must have gone through this phase at some point in your life and I was hoping if you’d give me a glimmer of your experience, for example whether you had a part time job to tie you over whilst illustration work was starting to pick up, or whether it was full of client based work right form the start. It’d be interesting for me to know your thoughts on how you became ‘established’ within your field and how you went about it. I realize that this is going to take up a chunk of your time and for that I am very grateful. In the mean time here is my website / Tumblr:

www.cargocollective.com/nathanjeffriesillustration 

www.nathanjeffriesillustration.tumblr.com 

I look forward to hearing from you, Nathan Jeffries.

here are the illustrators/companies that i sent out to last time:

• Methane Studios
• The Head Of State
• Gary Kroman
• Richard 'French' Sayer
• Jason Kernevich
• No Guts No Glory
• Relix
• UK Greetings
• The Church of London/YCN
• Maria Taylor
• Roger Dean

I will send out to these again if i didn't get a reply from them previously. I am also aiming to send this email out to illustrators that i have discovered since:

• Guy McKinley
• Ken Taylor
• Gary Redford
• Sarah Kelly
• Patrick Morgan
• Alan McGowan
• Maltings Partnership
• The Art Market

I thought it'd be worth while including the response i did get from No Guts No Glory, and Maria Taylor as these are a great help and an example of what i'm looking for in reply.

Hey Nath, Hope you're well!  Sorry for the late reply dude, we've been pretty flat out!  Berlin was incredible - you HAVE to go if you ever get a chance, such a beautiful and creative City. You're definitely doing the right thing by sending emails out and gathering research. With regards to how people see your portfolio, the first thing you need to do is get one set up.  I'd really strongle advise that you set up a clean website to show your best work, and as you're wanting to shake off the 'being a student', think about what work you want to include and what you want to discard. You can make some good portfolios on cargo collective, or using wordpress etc - I'd also advise buying your own domain name (nathanjeffriesillustration.com - or similar). Keeping a blog also helps, as a way to regularly post about work you like and things you're working on.  Sometimes, it'll do you a world of good to write about an artists you like (say Philip Harris has made a new zine for example) and if you link them and let them know, chances are they're re-promote that to their followers etc. Once this is set up, you yourself will be able to see what direction you think you'd like to head in as you'd have selected the work that you deem as your best work. Once you have a web portfolio, you can contact clients and talk confidently about the work that you are producing, because you can back it up with actual images to show them.  Then, the person you are emailing can get back to you with feedback on how to adapt/submit your work etc. If you'd like to arrange an appointment with some one, just email them explaining a little about your self, your work, previous clients etc (in a  nice friendly, but well constructed way) and explain, even in a couple sentences, about what it is that you'd like to talk to them about.  That way they have enough information to get back to you with an answer.   With regards to the money side of things, every shop you stock with will differ in their approach.  generally 35-45% seems to be a going commission rate, depending on whether the product is brought on wholesale or sale and return. With regards to commissioned work, this also totally depends from artist to artists.  People like Philip Harris charge hourly (at £10 per hour - select a price that you think fits you) and they'll think about how long a job would take before quoting a customer.  Once the quote is given, that's the price, unless the customer want's anything else done.  If it takes longer, thats your fault for not weighing it up right, but it it takes less time...result! If you're starting out, work cheaper for a while, so that you're more likely to get work and built a client list, but also so that you can find your feet and get used to how long jobs will take etc. Phil, for example, has become very efficient, so he can judge how long a job will take.  It might take a new illustrator longer to come up with ideas, or produce a piece that they're happy with. With Payment, it's up to you whether you ask for payment up front, or upon completion, it'll probably vary from client to client, and had obvious pros and cons for each party. It's up to you whether you include research and conceptual time into your fee. I hope this helps dude?  Sorry for the late reply, wanted to give a proper reply!  

Cheers, Nath

Hello Nathan, The transition from student to practitioner was pretty quick. I worked in house for a while and then went freelance.... I went to the Princes Trust and received a grant to buy a computer and software. The Princes Trust also provided great networking events and short courses.I did have another job for a while (teaching aerobics).I then taught illustration evening courses and then taught on the illustration degree course part-time. My personality preferred to work freelance....and perhaps if I get to a stage where I cannot afford to pay bills I would work part-time again. I would say that as an illustrator starting out you will need to have a part-time job along side freelancing (unless you are a secret millionaire).It also helps your sanity to see people and network. The only tip I could give you is " Work like a dog!, don't think about it.....just get on with it!  Hope that helps abit? Warm Wishes Maria  

I have replies!! I have received responses from Patrick Morgan, Gary Redford, and Robin Howlett, how exciting!

Here is what they had to say in response to my email:

Patrick:

Hi Nathan,Sorry I'm planning 2 shows in london so really busy at the moment.Illustration is super tough and with people with so many similar styles you need an agent to represent you to help you get them first jobs.I looked the site. Well done, but dont think of just one style these days people dont mind various techniques it keep it fun for you too.Good luckPatrick ps exhibition dates on my site soon or twitter so come along...good luck.

Gary:

Hi Nathan Thanks for your email, yes its a good idea to have another steady means of income when you first start out, it will also help with funding some self promotion  i had a look at your tumblr, its nice work, i would recommend sending samples of your work to newspapers and magazines and also to take a page in contact illustration and have a look at the discussion boards on AOI theres lots of advice and help on there Good Luck !  Gary

Robin:

Hi Nathan Well done for being proactive; but I'm not sure you're going to want to hear what I've got to say… Illustration has become a very tough career.  It is starting to swing around (for me anyway), but the plethora of cheap (some of it very good) photography and illustration available on line has done a lot to put people like us out of a job.  I'm luckier than most, as illustration is a "part-time" job for me.   I studied at Kingston, actually majoring in animation, but couldn't get work in that field as there was nothing about back then.  So I took a job as a visualizer for an ad agency.  From there I built up all my designer skills until I ended up running agencies.  So, first and foremost I am a designer.  The illustration came along when, aged about 45 I sold my agency and went freelance.  My illustration was varied back then – I'd take anything.  After about a year, it became clear that my folio was developing an art deco trend – so I put up a new website, claiming to be an art deco specialist.  It worked wonders, and the work is now all deco.  I have really busy times (the past few months have been good) but I also have very dry times, where I certainly could not live on the money that comes in from illustration alone.   I am lucky, because I supplement my designer income with my illustration.  And that's the trick really – you must find yourself a source of regular income, that gives you the flexibility to do the commissions when they do come in.  With luck, it will grow and one day you might even be able to give up the day job completely.   But you have chosen a tough profession my friend.  If I had one piece of advice it would be SPECIALISE.  Set your site up so that your specialism is really clear to the art directors AND the spiders, (KEYWORDS ARE SO IMPORTANT) then your phone will ring.  Don't just be "an illustrator", because you will be just another one of thousands.   Be flexible, never drop a deadline, be prepared to take some right shit from the clients (they are all better illustrators than you, don't forget) know when to stick up for your vision and when to meekly say "yes, you're right, why didn't I see that?"   My very best wishes to you and I hope that your voyage starts off with a fair wind behind you!   Kindest regards,  Robin Howlett

So far, i think that it's relatively clear from what i've read that it's important to start out with a part time job to go along side your work to bring in a constant flow of cash to keep yourself afloat. Following this, i think it best to define my practice even more from simply illustration, but to actually name my work, eg, 'printer', or specialist 'water working digital artist'... we'll see what comes about.

Alan has replied!:

Hi Nathan Getting started is never easy and probably less so than when I did back in the 1980's. Still you have to try. Advice - make sure people know about your work; publicise yourself; go and see people in magazines, newspapers , publishers etc; have something tangible to leave with them (postcard or printout etc). Keep doing what you believe in and hopefully you will find other people that believe in you too. Keep your overheads low (I worked from a bedroom for years). I've nearly always done a bit of teaching, so to that extent I have had part-time jobs, and that does help the cash situation - just avoid the "other" job taking up so much time that it totally dominates. Just try and get out and get some experience, the challenge is there to be met! Good luck Alan